Day 290 - Realization of Non-Duality

Day 290 - Realization of Non-Duality

In these teachings from Yoga Vasistha, Vasistha elaborates on the nature of consciousness and the illusory nature of the world. Here are some key insights:

1. Consciousness as the Only Reality:

• Vasistha explains that infinite consciousness alone is the fundamental reality, and this world is nothing but an appearance within that consciousness. The experience of the world arises because consciousness wishes to experience itself in various ways.
• He dismisses the notion that consciousness perishes with the death of the body. If consciousness ceased, there would be no more experiences, thus ending the cycle of birth, death, and suffering (samsara). However, consciousness itself never dies—it is the essence of existence.

2. The World is a Dream-Like Appearance:

• Vasistha compares the world to a dream, explaining that just as the dream-world feels real while one is dreaming, the waking world appears real during the waking state. In both cases, the underlying substance is consciousness.
• The world appears due to ignorance or lack of self-awareness. When consciousness becomes aware of itself, the illusory nature of the world is seen clearly. Therefore, knowledge and ignorance are just different expressions of the same consciousness.

3. The Illusory Nature of the World:

• The world seems to have form and substance, but this is akin to illusions seen in dreams. In reality, what appears as material objects and experiences is just a projection of consciousness.
• Forms arise from vibrations, and these vibrations themselves are formless. When examined closely, it is revealed that the appearance of the world is no more than a play of consciousness, manifesting in different forms.

4. The Cause and Effect of the World:

• Vasistha argues that the world has no real cause, and therefore no substantial existence. If the elements (earth, water, fire, air, space) are formless vibrations, then form itself is an illusion.
• There cannot be a material effect from a spiritual cause, since the latter is intangible. The world is not a result of ignorance nor a conscious act of creation by an intelligent being; instead, it is merely an appearance in consciousness, much like a reflection in a mirror.

5. Consciousness Alone Exists:

• All objects, beings, and experiences are manifestations of pure consciousness, just as a pot is nothing but clay in essence. The materiality we perceive is not distinct from consciousness.
• Consciousness remains unchanged and unaffected by the forms and experiences that arise within it, just as space is unaffected by objects within it.

6. Waking, Dreaming, and Pure Consciousness:

• Vasistha explains that the waking and dreaming states are essentially the same because both are founded on consciousness. In both states, experiences appear real due to the mind's identification with them.
• Pure consciousness is the substratum upon which all experiences rest. It is the same state that exists when one is free from desires, objective thoughts, or conceptualizations. It remains unchanged, whether or not there is perception of form.

7. Realization of the True Nature:

• The realization of consciousness as the only reality leads to freedom from the illusion of the world. Once understood, the notion of a separate, material world vanishes, and one attains a state of liberation (nirvana).
• Vasistha urges the listener to investigate deeply and realize that everything is consciousness. All forms, objects, and concepts dissolve upon such realization, leaving only the undivided state of pure awareness.

8. The Role of Self-Enquiry and the Scriptures:

• Vasistha emphasizes the importance of studying the scripture (in this case, the Yoga Vasistha) as a guide for self-realization. This scripture provides the understanding necessary to dispel ignorance and experience the truth directly.
• He encourages abandoning all distractions and focusing on self-enquiry to attain self-knowledge, which is the only true remedy for the suffering of samsara.

9. The Unchanging Nature of Consciousness:

• Consciousness is described as unborn and undying, like space. It neither creates nor destroys anything in a real sense; what appears as creation and dissolution is only a reflection within consciousness.
• Duality is an illusion: the experience of "I" and "other" arises from ignorance, while in reality, there is only one consciousness.

10. Unity and Diversity:

• The distinctions of unity and diversity, waking and dreaming, reality and illusion are ultimately meaningless. Everything is pure consciousness and recognizing this dissolves the perceived boundaries.
• When the world is viewed with this understanding, one rests in a state of liberation, unaffected by notions of birth, death, or worldly experiences.

Vasistha’s teachings in this passage guide one toward the realization of non-duality, where the apparent world is seen as a manifestation of the same indivisible consciousness, and the ultimate truth is that nothing exists apart from this infinite awareness.